NEW IN - Employment Litigation Associate | 4-5 Years | Plaintiff + Defense | High-Stakes Matters | N

I'm currently working with a nationally active litigation practice looking to add an Employment Litigation Associate to its Newport Beach team . This is a strong opportunity for an attorney who wants to handle high-stakes employment disputes on both sides of the V , gain genuine responsibility on lean teams and build a broader practice spanning litigation, strategic counseling and complex executive-level matters . Why This Opportunity Stands Out Both Sides of the V – Handle employment matters for both plaintiffs and defendants , giving you exposure to the full spectrum of employment disputes rather than being locked into one side of the practice. High-Stakes, High-Visibility Matters – Work on complex and sensitive disputes involving significant financial, professional and reputational exposure, including matters that may require careful strategic handling beyond routine employment litigation. Executive & Professional-Level Disputes – Gain exposure to sophisticated matters involving senior executives and professionals , including compensation, equity, separation agreements and restrictive covenants. Litigation + Counseling – Build a genuinely broader Employment practice across litigation, compliance, investigations, risk mitigation, discipline, termination decisions and strategic personnel issues . No Firm-Wide Billable Requirement – Develop your practice without being tied to a set annual firm-wide billable-hour target . Lean Teams, Real Responsibility – Work closely with experienced partners and take ownership of key workstreams, case strategy and substantive litigation responsibilities as your experience develops. Beyond the Standard Employment Docket – Gain exposure to employment disputes intersecting with business, executive, trade secret and unfair competition issues , creating a more varied practice than a traditional single-track Employment Litigation role. Direct Client & Strategic Exposure – Communicate directly with clients and play an active role in litigation strategy, pre-litigation advice and key decisions throughout the lifecycle of a matter. The Role Manage employment litigation matters and key case components with increasing independence. Handle single-plaintiff employment disputes , including discrimination , retaliation , harassment , wrongful termination and leave-related claims. Work on wage-and-hour litigation , including class and representative actions . Support matters involving executive compensation, equity, separation agreements and restrictive covenants . Gain exposure to employment-related trade secret and unfair competition disputes . Draft pleadings, dispositive motions, discovery and substantive briefs . Conduct and defend depositions and support preparation for hearings, mediations and settlement conferences. Provide strategic litigation and pre-litigation advice to employers and employees. Conduct workplace investigations and support internal employment assessments where appropriate. Communicate directly with clients, opposing counsel and agency representatives . Take ownership of key workstreams and contribute to overall case strategy . About You 4–5 years of litigation experience in state and/or federal court. Employment Litigation experience is required . Experience with dispositive motions and discovery management . Strong legal research, writing and analytical skills . Working knowledge of California employment statutes and civil procedure . Active California Bar admission in good standing. Strong credentials and attendance at a good law school . Comfortable handling complex employment disputes and counseling matters . Interest in building a long-term career and developing a practice . Experience with legal AI tools such as CoCounsel, Claude or Harvey is a plus. Location Newport Beach, California Package Up to $175,000 base salary , depending on experience and qualifications. No firm-wide billable-hour requirement. Potential long-term progression toward partnership. If you're an Employment litigator looking for both plaintiff and defense experience, high-stakes matters, genuine responsibility and the opportunity to build both your litigation and counseling practice , I'd love to speak with you. #J-18808-Ljbffr We Are Legal Revolution